Play Music, Start Young!

Learning a musical instrument is one of the most valuable experiences a young child can have.

Developing motor skills, concentration, learning the musical language, applied maths and science, teamwork, communication and social skills – all of these essential and transferable skills make up the wider musical curriculum.

Then there’s the sense of achievement and the positive reinforcement the child feels when they have mastered even the most basic piece of music, raising their self-esteem and motivating them to keep playing and attempting more difficult pieces. And, of course, there’s the joy and the positive emotional effect of the music itself.

It doesn’t matter what instrument a child plays, but it may take a while to settle on the right one for them! So be patient and don’t assume that music is a fad, it may be that they just haven’t found the instrument that suits and inspires them the most. They will know when they do, so encourage them to be honest if they don’t like the one they’re trying now, and to try something else.

Even if they give up eventually, their brief experience of playing will have helped them to develop many skills and thought processes that will serve them well in the future. Who knows, they may return to playing as a hobby in their teens or adulthood. Or, perhaps, stardom beckons!